Police Drones
Police Drones: Discover how drones are being used by police forces. Stay updated on the latest news and developments in law enforcement drone technology.
Madison Police Use Drone To Catch Fleeing Suspect
Madison Police used a drone early Friday morning to locate a suspect who ran from officers on the city’s south side. The incident began around 12:20 a.m. when a resident in the 1900 block of Axel Avenue reported someone walking…
From DJI to Skydio: Sedgwick County PD Upgrade Their Drone Fleet
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office just made a big move, as KWCH reports. They’ve replaced their longtime DJI drones with the new Skydio X10s, marking a major shift in how U.S. law enforcement is using drones. This isn’t just a…
Syracuse Police Drone Program Stalled Again As Lawmakers Withdraw Approval For Fourth Time In 2025
Syracuse lawmakers have once again grounded the city’s controversial drone-as-first-responder program, marking the fourth time in 2025 that city councilors have delayed approval of software needed to launch autonomous police drones that would respond to 911 calls. Councilor Chol Majok…
Rochester Police Gets $8M For Surveillance Drones And Cameras To Monitor Protests—Part Of Hochul’s $127M Statewide Push
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is investing $127 million in law enforcement surveillance technology across the state, with Monroe County receiving $24 million—the largest share of any county. Rochester Police Department plans to use $8 million of its allocation to…
London Police Launch Drone-as-First-Responder Program with 2-Minute Response Times
London’s Metropolitan Police have begun deploying remotely-operated drones to emergency calls, with the unmanned aircraft reaching crime scenes within two minutes to stream live footage to responding officers. The trial program, known as “Drone as First Responder,” launched in the…
California Police Department Withdraws Drone Research Proposal After Community Backlash
The Eureka Police Department pulled a proposal Monday that would have allowed the agency to begin researching a drone program, following organized opposition from privacy activists who mobilized community members ahead of Tuesday’s city council meeting. The withdrawal highlights how…
AI-Powered Police Drones Reach 1,500 US Departments As Landmark Privacy Lawsuit Tests Legal Limits
Police and sheriff’s departments across America have rapidly embraced AI-powered drones for everything from pursuits and investigations to emergency response, with approximately 1,500 agencies now operating drone programs by late 2024—a 150% increase since 2018. But as departments deploy increasingly…
Drone at 75 Feet Near San Diego Airport Runway Sparks Confusion: Police or Unauthorized?
A drone hovering at just 75 feet near San Diego International Airport’s active runway created a dangerous close call with incoming passenger aircraft in late August, with air traffic control recordings revealing confusion about whether the aircraft was authorized police…
Police Drones May Soon Scan License Plates From the Sky
A disturbing new report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has revealed the next frontier in police surveillance: drones equipped with automated license plate readers (ALPRs). Tech companies like Flock Safety are actively developing and pitching these systems to law…
Las Vegas Police Are Launching Drones From Rooftops, and the ACLU is Watching
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) is taking its “drone as a first responder” program to a whole new level. In a massive expansion of their Project Blue Sky, the department is installing a network of 13 “Skyports” across…
Louisiana Welsh PD Takes to the Skies with New Patrol Drones
For small police departments, having an eye in the sky has always been an unaffordable luxury, a tool reserved for big cities with helicopter budgets. But thanks to the accessibility of modern drone technology, that’s all changing. The Welsh Police…
Police Drones in Fulton Show Success as Syracuse Weighs Launching Its Own Program
FULTON, N.Y. — The Syracuse Police Department (SPD) is seeking the city’s approval for a new drone program to assist with high-priority incidents, following the proven success of the Fulton Police Department’s aerial operations. WSYR-TV reports that Fulton’s drones have…